Town will use optical scanner on Election Day

Shapleigh selectmen have accepted an offer from the Office of the Secretary of State to use an optical scanner to record voting ballots during the upcoming election on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

The state has offered these scanners to towns that otherwise would not be using optical scanners, according to Town Clerk Joanne Rankin. The offer is made at no cost to towns.

In 2009, the State of Maine negotiated a contract to purchase a large quantity of scanners. The goal of the State was for each municipality to use this style scanner for recording the ballots. Federal and state funds were discussed to purchase these machines.

In accepting this offer, the town has to sign a 5-year lease agreement. Maintenance costs are not anticipated during the five years.

Shapleigh's scanner is due to arrive in mid-October.

LAFERTY RESIGNS

Midge Laferty has resigned from the Shapleigh Community Day Committee. Selectmen have sent her a letter of appreciation for her 13 years of voluntary service to the town in that capacity.

Shapleigh residents who may be interested in serving on the committee are encouraged to get in touch with the town's executive secretary at 636-2843, ext. 401.

The committee is charged with planning the town's annual Shapleigh Community Day, which since 1999 has been held at the end of July.

CHECKING IN WITH THE PLANNING BOARD

q Planners have received an "after the fact" application for a Best Possible Location permit from Marcia Crumley, the owner of property at 111 Treasure Island, to replace a damaged shed and relocate it to a more suitable location.

q The planning board also has received an application from John and Karen Kenary for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to replace an existing retaining wall at 45 Totte Road.

q Notices have been sent to property owners within 500 feet of the subject properties, indicating that the next scheduled Planning Board meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Shapleigh Town Hall. Comments or questions can be brought to the attention of the board either in person during the scheduled meeting or by writing to the Land Use Secretary before the meeting at P.O. Box 26, Shapleigh, Maine 04076-0026.

q William and Douglas Elwell have been notified that the two Residential Growth Permits (RGP) that had been issued to them earlier in the year have expired. When a RGP is granted, the property owner is notified that he has 90 days to apply for a building permit with the town's code enforcement officer or the RGP will expire. The code officer has notified the planning board that as of Sept. 21, the building permits had not been applied for by the Elwells, so the RGPs have expired.

q On Tuesday, Sept. 25, planners met at three different sites that would be under consideration at their meeting at the town hall that night. These sites were 14 Cattail Loop on the Lower Mousam, for which Bill Turgeon is seeking a Best Possible Location to put a full foundation under a camp; 41 Hawthorne Road on Square Pond, for which Richard and Carol Levesque also want a Best Possible Location to replace an existing cottage; and 119 32nd Street on the Lower Mousam, where Roger Beyea, on behalf of owner Steve Procopio, is hoping for reconsideration of a Conditional Use Permit to extend a dock by more than 20 feet.

The board's decisions on these matters will be reported in a future column.

'FOREST WORKS' IS UP AND RUNNING

The Forest Works project is up and running.

Outreach Coordinator Lee Burnett has been educating landowners and municipal officials about the benefits of keeping woods as a working forest. Both a brochure and a website (www.forestworksme.org) have been produced. Presentations have been made in Waterboro, Newfield, Alfred and Acton. A series of classes will be taught through RSU 57's adult education program this fall.

In addition, Burnett and others have worked with owners of large properties in Lebanon, Newfield and Alfred who are interested in creating legacies with their woodlands. All this focused activity has impressed the Forest Legacy Committee in Augusta, which is poised to amend its boundaries and make forests in the region eligible for federal Forest Legacy funding, which would be a boost. A decision is pending.

Bill Hutchins, of the Shapleigh Conservation Commission, served as a Steering Committee member of the Forest Works project along with Joe Anderson, of the York County Soil and Water Conservation District; Greg Caporossi, of the Trust for Public Lands; LaMarr Clannon, of Maine NEMO; Keith Fletcher, of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust; Fred Frodyma, of the Alfred Conservation Commission; Roger Monthey, of the U.S. Forest Service; Jean Noon, of the Three Rivers Land Trust; Hilary Wallis, of the Francis Small Heritage Trust; and Everett Towle and Alex Mas, of The Nature Conservancy. Terry Walters, of Hollis, Donald Mansius and Ken Canfield, of the Miane Forest Service, Steve Walker and Judy Camuso, of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, provided input along with consultants Lee Burnett, Marcel Polak, of the Maine Association of Conservations, and Mike Gaito.

AND THE REST OF THE WINNERS ARE ...

Here are the last of the winners of the Acton-Shapleigh Historical Society's calendar raffle: Joanne Rankin, of Shapleigh, a $25 gift card from Bonanza; Anne Rolland, of Shapleigh, a $20 gift card from The Sugar House; Cheryl Marchant, of Melrose, Mass., a $20 gift card from the Publick House Pub; Bobby Vachon, of Shapleigh, a front-end alignment from Jim's Alignment; Ruth Ham, of Shapleigh, a $10 gift card from Christo's Restaurant; Karen Pierce, of Springvale, a $25 gift card from Ted's Fried Clams; Marianne Doyle, of Acton, a $100 Gift Card from Knox Auto Body; Mark Buchanan, of Northwood, New Hampshire, an oil change from Harding's Auto; Joseph Stanley, of Shapleigh, a haircut at A Style for You; Rhea Neal, of Acton, an oil change from Route 11 Auto; Wayne Pillsbury, of Springvale, a $50 Visa card from Sanford Institution for Savings; Donald Greenleaf, Sr., of Acton, a $10 gift card from the Crabby Bear Restaurant; Jean Abbott, of Waterboro, a dozen doughnuts from the Lakeside Cafe; Norma Evans, of Shapleigh, a $10 gift card from KC's Ice Cream; Sarah Shufelt, of Salem, New Hampshire, six lobsters from Lobsta Tails; and Bob Harding, of Shapleigh, a $20 gift card from Applebee's.

SAVE THOSE BOX TOPS

Shapleigh Memorial School is currently participating in two fundraisers — Box Tops and Hannaford Helps Schools.

Anyone shopping at Hannaford Supermarket who buys products advertised for this fundraiser should turn in their receipt at the school. At the end of December, a check will be mailed from Hannaford to the school. These funds generated will be much appreciated.

Box tops from products generate 10 cents each for the school, so everyone is asked to cut the box top coupon off the packages, save them, and turn them in to Shapleigh Memorial School. A list of some products which feature box tops for schools are Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Nestle, Cheerio's Chex, Fiber One, Hefty, Kleenex, Land O'Lakes, Nature Valley, Ocean Spray, Scott, and Zip Lock.

For a more complete list, visit online at www.btfe.com/products.

Also, mentor groups and career connection groups have been formed at Shapleigh Memorial School, with parents and teachers stepping up to make this an exciting time for students. The groups need beads for making jewelry, as well as stickers, thin markers, ink stamps, ink pads, ribbon and more that would be useful for making cards.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME A LION?

Any Shapleigh or Acton residents who wish to attend one of the Acton-Shapleigh Lions Club's monthly meetings is cordially invited to visit the Shapleigh Town Hall on the fourth Monday of any month at 7 p.m. Meetings generally last about an hour. New members are always welcomed.

In the week ahead, the Lions will serve their monthly pancake breakfast at the Acton Town Hall on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 8 yo 10 a.m. They also will serve a beef pot roast dinner at the Shapleigh First Baptist Church at 600 Shapleigh Corner Road on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.